Dr. Lee Yeon Joo, Director of the Climate and Earth Science Research Team at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and a senior researcher in the Planetary Atmosphere Group, joined the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Envision project that constructs a high-resolution map of Venus from its surface to atmosphere. Despite joining the project as a collaborator without any shared cost, she has unlimited access to observational data. Furthermore, Lee can invite domestic research personnel to collaborate, providing a great opportunity for local researchers to experience a major space mission.
According to IBS on the 26th, Envision, which was officially confirmed to proceed on January 25, is a project to create a comprehensive high-resolution map of Venus from its inner core to its upper atmosphere in cooperation with NASA. The plan is to launch in 2031 and begin observations upon arrival in Venus’s orbit in 2034.
The Envision mission includes two payloads (VenSAR, SRS) for exploring Venus’s terrain and one payload (VenSpec Suite) for measuring Venus’s atmosphere. Lee will participate as a collaborator of the VenSpec Suite, carrying out atmospheric research.
Lee stated, “Through Envision’s observational data, we will discover new knowledge about Venus, a sibling of Earth that we didn’t know well.” She also expressed her hope that “if Korea has its own planetary exploration spacecraft in the future, the young researchers who have gained experience in the IBS Planetary Atmosphere Group will lead the domestic planetary exploration missions.”
In exchange for supporting the mission based on scientific excellence and experience, collaborators receive unrestricted access to the VenSpec Suite’s observational data. It is possible to invite students and researchers who are conducting research with co-researchers as collaborators, thereby expanding opportunities for domestic researchers to participate in large-scale space missions. As acting co-researchers from the early stages of the mission, it is also advantageous to be able to prepare for observation activities in advance and conduct preemptive research as soon as data for 2034 is acquired. There is no cost sharing South Korea’s end in the Envision mission worth $534.7 million.
The IBS Planetary Atmosphere Group is conducting the first long-term Venus observation project (CLOVE) in South Korea. The goal is to send a miniature satellite to low Earth orbit every three years and completely observe Venus for an extensive period over a decade.
Large exploration space probes like Envision will closely approach Venus and capture high-resolution images of surface volcanic activity. When producing detailed atmospheric research data, they observe all of Venus with a miniature satellite and draw the big picture. IBS is currently preparing to select a company to develop the miniature satellite body while developing the payload with a domestic company. They plan to launch the first miniature satellite in 2026.
